Part 54 - Duel of the Fates
Ponyville District Court
Courtroom No. 2
June 11th, 4:08 PM
Trixie barely felt her head hit the desk when the Judge asked if the memory replay was valid.
She clamped her forehooves hard over her ears, trying to block out Sonata’s formal confession, unable to listen or accept the reality of her defeat.
This is not happening! This is NOT HAPPENING! she told herself over and over again. And through it all, she sensed something primal and powerful welling up from deep within her, a power she’d kept buried for fifteen years out of denial and remembered pain.
She’d sensed it reawakening as the trial had dragged on and the stress and strain added up, her emotions surging and magic along with it. She held it off as long as she could, but it built and battered at her internal barriers until finally… My victory… my precious victory… He STOLE it! He STOLE it from me! was all Trixie could think as she raised her glowing blue eyes to stare at Phoenix in rage and thwarted revenge. And then, inevitably and ultimately…
She snapped.
Her long-suppressed weather power exploded out of her, manifesting itself into a blizzard that filled the chamber, an expression of a lifetime of frustration and pain. Her elemental energies strained against the magical suppression field, which struggled to keep her power contained to just the courtroom, the entire chamber shaking under her onslaught.
Weak and worthless ape… I’ll show him! I’ll show them ALL! she told herself, focusing on Phoenix Wright. “I’ll show you what happens when you cheat the GREAT and POWERFUL TRIXIE!!!!” she screamed at the spellbound and visibly frightened Phoenix Wright.
From the middle of her maelstrom suddenly erupted a pillar of flame, dispersing the snow and driving her icy tempest away. At its center, standing in the middle of the courtroom pit… was Twilight Sparkle, planting herself between Trixie and Phoenix, eyes and horn ominously aglow with her elemental fire.
“Stand down, Trixie,” she ordered calmly, but with a warning note in her voice that Trixie understood only too clearly—you want Phoenix? You go through ME! “You lost. Rainbow’s innocent. Accept it and don’t make this any worse,” she said, lowering her head and intensifying the glow of her eyes as a warning. “Unless you want to have our duel here and now!”
The Judge took advantage of the lull in the sudden storm to bring down his gavel hard. “Ms. Trixie! You have disrupted the proceedings of this court for the last time! Bailiffs! Arrest her at once!” The Judge ordered, a fire in his gaze that could rival Twilight’s. To his surprise, none of the uniformed ponies immediately moved, looking back and forth at each other as if to ask who wanted to go first. Ultimately nopony moved to obey—none of them were about to place themselves between two of the most powerful elemental unicorns in Equestria, now locked in a staredown.
A cold wind started to blow again, and the gallery began to empty as spectators decided it would be best to leave the scene before the pair cut loose, except for four ponies—and one baby dragon—who were trying to push through the throng to reach Phoenix, Fluttershy braving the icy breeze to fly down while Applejack and Rarity leaped down, Spike clinging to Rarity’s neck.
“Guys! Get Nix out of here!” Rainbow Dash called from where she was still bound in the defendant box.
“Will do, but what ’bout you?” Applejack asked over the sound of the wind.
“I’m a pegasus! I can take a little cold! And you can’t get me out of these anyway!” she noted, pulling briefly at her magically-secured restraints. “Go! Now!”
“You heard her! Now come on, Part’ner!” Applejack urged Phoenix, trying to drag him away from the spectacle by his shirt sleeve. “This ain’t yer fight; it’s Twilight’s! She can handle that blowhard!”
“But I can’t leave her!” he insisted, trying to shake off her grasp, part of him realizing there was nothing he could do but another part equally insistent he play the part of a man and be there for her.
“Please, Mister Phoenix, come with us!” Fluttershy urged, using her body and wings to shield him from the wind and ice, trying to gently herd him away.
“You can’t stay, Mister Wright!” Rarity added, affording him what protection her magic could. “I know something of humans, and I know you feel you must, but there is nothing you—or we—can do!”
“Come on, dude!” Spike implored him as well, tugging on his sleeve. “You did great, but this is no place for you!”
“But—” Phoenix protested, wanting to stay at Twilight’s side.
To Twilight’s relief, Trixie seemed to have forgotten Phoenix, the showmare’s attention now fixed solely on her. That’s right, Trixie, focus on me! Twilight mentally urged, hearing the conversation behind her, trying to buy time for other ponies to exit and her friends to hustle Phoenix out. This was never about Rainbow or Phoenix; it was always about me! You wanted to hurt me as you’ve been hurt, and now that you’ve lost, you’re lashing out in rage and pain! she sensed. Fine. I’ll let you batter your head against me until you wear yourself out!
“This isn’t a game, Trixie. You’re not hurting my friends or anypony else,” Twilight warned her, voice almost supernaturally calm despite the surging elemental energies around her, her mane and tail igniting in a visible show of her power as she cast a shield spell around Phoenix and her gathered friends… and Sonata and The Judge for good measure, in case the incensed showmare turned her anger on them before they could escape.
“Friends?” Trixie hissed out the word through a bitter cold breath. “Friends?” she said again in all but a snarl, the blue glow in her eyes intensifying and the wind picking up as her power began building once more.
“I’ll show you how useless FRIENDS are!” the showmare shrieked and turned the full force of her blizzard on Twilight. The rest of the courtroom was consumed by her icy tempest, the sheer force of her wind and aura slamming the doors shut, sealing everyone inside.
Canterlot Young Magician’s Competition
Canterlot Castle
15 years earlier
“Ladies and Gentlecolts! Welcome to the semifinals of Canterlot’s 51st annual Young Magician’s Competition! We’ll be taking a short intermission while we prepare for the semifinal round,” the master of ceremonies announced, causing ten-year old Trixie Lulamoon to gulp. “To the winner goes the coveted Starswirl Best Young Wizard award, and admittance to the Celestia School for Gifted Unicorns!”
“This is it, honey. You’ve made it this far; it’s time to bring it home. Are you ready?” her father asked, laying a hoof on her daughter’s shoulder to straighten her painstakingly hoof-stitched and star-studded purple cape.
She gave her father, a long-time entertainer and performer in Canterlot Court, a brave but worried smile. “Yeah. But I’m a little nervous though.”
He grinned and ruffled her mane. “Don’t be, Lula. You made it all the way to the semifinals, didn’t you?” he reminded her. “You wowed the judges in the earlier rounds, so what’s there to be nervous about now? You’re going to win, and by this time next week, you’ll be off to the Celestia School for Gifted Unicorns!” her father promised, reminding her of the competition’s grand prize—acceptance into the most elite of unicorn and alchemic academies, full tuition paid.
“You… you think so?” Trixie’s violet eyes glimmered hopefully, raising her gaze to meet her daddy’s.
“I know so, honey!” he grinned. “So why the sudden nerves?”
Trixie swallowed, knowing the exact reason why but afraid to tell her father about it—she’d kept her power hidden this long, but was finding it progressively harder to do so. “I don’t know… the butterflies just started coming all of a sudden!” she rubbed her tummy, trying to keep the elemental energy inside her and not let the air around her start turning cold in response to her fear and anxiety.
“Just show ‘em confidence and perseverance, okay? The judges love stuff like that!” her father noted, laying a reassuring hoof on her shoulders. “You can do this, Lula. I promise!”
She gave him a grateful smile. “Okay. I’ll try, Daddy.”
He hugged her close with a foreleg. That's my filly! “Just remember, I’ll be cheering for you no matter what happens. And I’m sure your friends will, too.”
Trixie went downcast. “Oh. Um… I don’t really have many friends,” she admitted. “Maybe one or two.”
Her father looked surprised. “Really? A talented young showmare like you? Why not?” he asked earnestly. “Didn’t I hear that one of your classmates is having a birthday party tomorrow?”
She nodded, a little sadly. “Yes, but… I’m not invited. The other students like my performances and all, but nopony really talks to me after that. They never invite me to parties,” she explained. “That’s why I love performing; everypony laughs and applauds me!” she perked back up.
He smiled. “That’s because you’re really good at it—you’re a chip off the old block there, Lula, and getting your grandfather’s cutie mark proves it! But you know, you tend to get a little too into it sometimes,” he said in as gentle an admonishment as he could.
Trixie looked up at him in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“Well, honey, I think that sometimes you show off a little too much. Yes, you’re good, but the other colts and fillies are probably just worried you think you’re better than them.”
Her eyes went wide. “O-oh… I never thought of it like that!”
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” her father reassured her, putting a hoof on her shoulder. “There’s no shame in relishing what you do, especially if you’re good at it. Take pride in your talent, just try not to overdo it—show a little humility and humbleness as well.”
Trixie considered that carefully. “I-I didn’t know! Okay, I’ll try to not show off as much.”
“That’s my little pony!” her father ruffled her mane. “I’m sure you’ll make lots of friends if you do that.”
With that, the master of ceremonies stuck her head in the waiting area. “Five minutes until our first semifinals participant: ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’!”
“This is it, Lula. You’re about to go on! Are you ready?
“Yup! I’m ready now, the butterflies have left my tummy!” she confirmed, feeling much better and grateful to her father for it. I’m ready! Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, here I come!
“Good, good! Wait—where’s your hat?” her father suddenly asked, pointing at her bare head.
“My hat?” Trixie blinked, her hoof going to her head to feel for it, only to find it wasn’t there. “Oh no! My hat! I think I left it backstage in the dressing room!” She started to panic again.
“Easy, sweetheart. It’s okay; you should have enough time to go grab it,” he noted with a quick glance at the clock. “Go, honey!”
“Okay! I’ll be right back!” she promised, galloping down the hall for the dressing room.
Arriving, she looked around frantically for her hat, ignoring the other contestants, many of whom were now getting out of their costumes after being knocked out in the earlier rounds of the competition. The supervising ponies weren’t present, as they were all escorting or helping other colts and fillies in the dressing rooms. She finally spotted it on a bench by her mirror and went for it, but before she could grab it with her magic, it suddenly floated up and away from her, snagged in another unicorn’s aura.
“Lose something, Lula?” a familiar and very unwelcome voice asked, causing her guts to clench. “You should really be more careful about your things!”
Trixie turned to the voice’s owner, a twelve-year old orange unicorn with turquoise-blue eyes offset by a fiery red and yellow mane. Sunset Shimmer! she recognized, reflecting again that she wanted to win the competition as much to escape the bullying older filly as to gain entry to the prestigious School for Gifted Unicorns. “Sunset, what are you doing? I’m on next! Give it back!” Trixie demanded, grabbing at it with her aura.
To her frustration, Sunset blocked her magic, keeping the hat just out of reach. “Make me… Miss Minor and Mediocre!” she mocked while her friends watched, enjoying the scene. “After all, if you’re really as GREAT and POWERFUL as you say, this should be easy for you!”
Trixie tried repeatedly, employing both levitation and retrieval spells, even trying to teleport behind her, but Sunset always anticipated her and effortlessly turned her efforts aside. “But… I…” Trixie tried, flustered and taking increasingly frantic glances at the clock on the wall.
“Aw… poor widdle Twixie…” Sunset mocked her in baby talk, magically dangling her hat a foot above her head. “It’s no wonder you don’t have many friends. After all, who would want to be friends with a fraud and helpless phony like you?” Her voice dripped contempt as Trixie made another stab at her hat and failed. “You’re so pitiful, Lula. You know, your real talent should be pretending. Smoke and mirrors, that’s all you are! And everypony here knows it!” she said with gleeful malice.
Trixie felt a hot anger—and equally cold power—welling up within her, struggling to keep both contained, looking around frantically for one of the absent showhooves to return and help her. “Sunset…” she warned, tears welling in her eyes. “Give me my hat back!”
Sunset gave a mocking laugh as she drew the hat back towards her. “Sorry, ‘Trixie’. You got this far on your parlor tricks and your granddaddy’s name, but this is where it ends. So just sit in the corner like a good little girl and let the grown-ups compete,” she dismissed her, to the giggles of her friends. “I’m going to win this contest, and I’m going to the school for gifted unicorns—not some pitifully weak excuse for a unicorn like you!”
Trixie’s eyes flashed, their color changing from violet to glowing blue as a sudden icy gale blew through the room. “Shut up and GIVE IT BACK NOW!” she ordered with a stomp of her hoof, her horn involuntarily flaring. As if in response to her emotions and need, a cloud and burst of snow suddenly materialized out of the air around her… along with a single lightning bolt hitting the ground between them with a sharp CRACK! causing a startled Sunset to lose her grip on the hat and everypony else to flinch backwards in surprise.
Carried on her cold wind, her hat flew into her aura’s grasp and she put it on her head before she realized that the room had fallen silent; colts and fillies were staring at her in shock… and fear.
And then they began to back away from her, whispering among themselves.
“Freak,” one colt muttered under her breath.
“Ice queen!” a filly pointed.
“Weather witch!” another filly accused, throwing a stage prop at her, which every other pony in the room seemed to take their cue to do the same.
With that, Trixie realized she’d just given her most dangerous and closely kept secret away. Oh NO! “But… I…?” she looked around desperately for support but received none, even from her few friends. Moondancer? Minuette? Amethyst? she looked at them pleadingly for support, but they just looked away, leaving her at the mercy of Sunset and the other ponies in the room as ridicule was heaped upon her.
Why… why aren’t they helping me? They’re supposed to be my FRIENDS! she curled herself up into a ball and clamped her hooves over her head as the abuse and debris rained down, trying unsuccessfully to restrain both her power and her tears, a ring of ice forming on the floor around her.
“Well, well… what have we here?” Sunset overcame her initial shock and stepped forward, stopping the hail of small objects. “She’s a weather witch all right, and an ice elemental to boot!” she recognized. “Bet you think you’re better than us just because you’re an elemental? Well so am I, miss not-so-great-or-powerful! Pity you can’t control it like I can!” She grinned, rubbing it in by turning her fiery mane into actual flames, melting the ice around Trixie and then standing over her like she was passing judgment on her.
“Leave, Lula. Nopony is going to want to be friends with a weather witch, to say nothing of a sniveling snowmare like you!” she sneered, and by the looks on the faces of the other ponies, Trixie could tell she was right.
Crying, she ran out of the dressing room as fast as her legs could take her, leaving icy hoofprints in her wake, never noticing a bespectacled grey unicorn filly her age watching from the edge of the crowd.
Keeping her hat over her face to hide her tears, she bolted past her father and out of the building, and didn’t stop running until she reached the woods.
To her surprise, Twilight was finding herself hard-pressed, struggling to maintain her own defenses against Trixie’s anger-driven elemental onslaught while simultaneously protecting Phoenix, Sonata and The Judge with bubble shields. The strain showed on her face; for a moment, Twilight’s mane flame seemed to falter, like a candle flickering in the wind.
Not good… she sensed, surprised by Trixie’s resilience and reserves; her sheer determination. My power’s split, and I’m only at half-strength to begin with! I don’t know what her reserves are, but if she keeps this up, she’ll overpower me!
As if in answer, a potent new magical presence made itself known as she sensed a far stronger version of her shield spell flaring into existence around them—the signature spell of a certain pony she knew only too well; the very stallion she had originally learned it from.
Recognizing the familiar aura, Twilight glanced up into the stands to see Shining Armor braving the indoor blizzard, standing at the edge of the gallery and projecting his protective magic down into the pit. His aura formed a single large and nearly unbreakable bubble around her and Trixie, separating them from the rest of the court and shielding Phoenix and the others from Trixie’s magic for her.
She saw him smile when she caught his eye and heard his thoughts ring out loudly through her mind. You’re all clear, Twily! he told her, sparing a little energy for telepathy, which was easily cast when involving a close friend or family member. I've got your back, sis! Now show this weather witch who’s boss mare!
Thanks, BBBFF!!! Twilight answered with her thoughts and a grateful smile, withdrawing her own shield spells in favor of her older brother’s, drawing the power she was spending on them back into herself. Okay, Trixie… I’m free to cut loose now! she knew. So you like things cold? Time to turn up the HEAT! She grinned again, and her entire body ignited as she took her full fire form, to the cheers of her friends and astonishment and fright of Phoenix Wright.
There was a flash of fear in Trixie’s eyes as she saw the spectacle, her storm wavering for a moment, but the showmare dug deep and upped the ante herself, now bringing lightning and a hurricane of snow and hail to bear. She didn’t recognize the source of the incredibly powerful shield spell, but did recognize its meaning—as long as they were inside it, they didn’t have to hold back for the fear of hurting bystanders.
That suits me just FINE! she thought as she began to hurl lightning bolts at Twilight, having the pleasure of seeing her surprised and momentarily staggered by the new attack, giving Trixie hope that perhaps she could take Twilight, even in her full-fire state.
To her left, The Judge refused to leave his bench despite being begged to by several bailiffs, while to the right, Sonata was cowering behind the witness stand, visible fear in her eyes as she watched from just outside the bubble; Trixie spared her old schoolmate an angry glance.
That’s right, Sonata! COWER! This is YOUR fault, too! she remembered even as she began openly reveling in her unleashed energy and emotion, embracing her weather power fully for the first time in her life.
Expose me? Humiliate me? Cost me my VICTORY? I’ll make you pay! I’ll make you ALL pay! she promised as she launched a fresh round of weather attacks and other spells at Twilight, determined to extract at least one victory from the wreckage of her lost case.
Let the storm rage ON! she commanded, her ice starting to visibly force Twilight’s fire back.
Neigh Orleans Magic & Alchemy Academy
Filly Free Press Editor’s Office
Eight years earlier
Okay. So what’s this about? Trixie wondered as she read the letter scroll for a third time. Why does Four-Eyes want to see me?
The hornwritten note directed her to come to the offices of the school paper, called the Filly Free Press, to ‘discuss the terms of your surrender’ and was signed by one Sonata Tarot, a somewhat reclusive unicorn mare her age; a fellow Canterlot filly who possessed weak magic and was a frequent target of Trixie’s putdowns.
After her humiliation of the Young Magician’s Competition seven years earlier, Trixie had given up on formal competitions, giving only informal shows. Forced to reveal the fact that she was a ‘weather witch’ to her father, her daddy had, to her relief, been understanding but uncertain, not knowing how he was supposed to help her manage or control such power.
Exceedingly rare to begin with, weather elementals were shunned and feared for the very simple reason that Nightmare Moon had been one and weather control was considered the providence of pegasi, not unicorns. There were no books or classes that would teach a pony about it; there was no place he could take her to for help with it. He was afraid to send her into counseling or ask the Princess for aid for fear of exposing her secret; in the end all he could do was help her hide it, moving them to another city entirely to escape scrutiny.
“I don’t think there’s anything wrong with you for it, but its best to keep it yourself, Trixie. There are ways to entertain without magic, so let’s teach you some of those.” Trixie reflected on the advice of her father, an earth pony entertainer who had shown her some of his own show tricks that didn’t require any magic, involving sleight of hoof and clever use of props. Overuse of her magic risked activating her elemental powers, so she tended to limit herself to illusions and a few teleport tricks, plus some magical fireworks she’d mastered and didn’t cost much power to do.
Not that she wasn’t capable of more, but over time she’d gotten used to throttling herself back. For the most part it had worked; as long as she kept her emotions under control her weather and ice magic didn’t manifest or threaten to.
Now in a new school and city where nopony knew her, she had taken on Sunset’s former role as lead mare and school bully, using her wit and magic to put ponies down and keep them in line. It’d made her more than a few enemies, but she ran the halls much as Sunset had done, and had acquired an entourage of hangers-on for it. She didn’t consider them friends as much as sycophants—she had given up on having friends after they had abandoned her in the dressing room of the competition—but in exchange for stroking her ego, she let them stick around.
In that sense, she reflected, Sunset had given her a good life lesson—that friends were worthless; that respect had to be demanded and taken, and above all else that ponies were attracted to powerful and forceful personalities. She did just enough to get by in her classes—she tended to absorb new spells and knowledge quite easily when she put her mind to it, which was rarely—and kept her elemental magic buried deep down, hiding it behind a wall of indifference and insults, keeping her power in check by making anger her base emotion and thus less likely to trigger any accidental manifestations.
She knew her father didn’t approve of her attitude, but he also didn’t stop her, perhaps feeling sorry for his only foal and knowing the tough road she had to walk. Daddy… Her eyes went sad and regretful for a moment.
Quickly casting the thoughts for her father aside—sentiment was a sign of weakness to her—she arrived at the designated location ten minutes late. Nopony tells TRIXIE when she needs to be somewhere! With no warning knock, she yanked open the door with her aura and sauntered inside, sitting down on the visitor’s side of the desk and glowering at the pony sitting across from her.
“Okay, Miss Eye-Butt. What’s this about?” Trixie demanded to know, slamming the letter scroll down on the table with her magic. “I got your message. Exactly what am I supposed to be surrendering, and why would I want to surrender anything to a weakling unicorn like you?”
The teenaged Sonata didn’t acknowledge her immediately, acting like the showmare wannabe was beneath her notice. “Oh, hello Lula,” she said as if she’d just seen her, causing Trixie’s eyes to narrow at having her given name dropped—trying to escape her past pain, she insisted on being called by her stage name of Trixie now, and tended to punish anypony who didn’t. “I just thought you might like a sneak preview of the article I’m going to run in the Filly Free Press tomorrow,” she suggested, magically pushing a copy of the school newspaper towards her.
Though confused and more than a little annoyed, Trixie snatched it up in her aura and scanned it quickly. As she read, her eyes went wide, even fearful—the article detailed in exact terms how she was using her grandfather’s stage tricks instead of real magic in her performances, and that her main magical specialty was simple illusions, not harder spells. It also showed how she was cheating on some of her magical exams; the article backed up the text with photographs and diagrams showing how some of her tricks were done and giving a step-by-step demonstration of how she’d spoofed her apples-to-oranges transformation test.
It was all damning. And all true. “You wouldn’t…” Trixie said, her mouth suddenly dry.
“After all your bullying and being the butt of your jokes? Try me,” Sonata replied evenly, an edge to her voice.
Trixie gathered herself carefully. “Okay. Let’s try this again. You won’t,” she informed the other unicorn, leaning hard over the desk to give Sonata her most steely glare. “Because I promise I’ll make your life a living Tartarus if you run this!”
“You’re not going to do anything, Lula. To me or anypony else,” Sonata seemed completely unconcerned, making a show of lounging back in her seat behind her desk. “Because you see, this article doesn’t actually reveal everything I know about you.”
The tone in her voice caught Trixie short. “What do you mean?” she asked, keeping her haughty tone, but part of her had the sinking feeling she knew exactly what the other unicorn meant.
Sonata closed her eyes and smiled like she was savoring the moment. “Let’s just say that revenge is a dish best served cold,” she emphasized the last word in a tone that chilled Trixie to the bone. “And in this case, it’s been a long time coming… Miss Weather Witch!” she said with noticeable relish, pushing a fresh series of photographs towards her. They showed the aftermath of when Trixie had lost her temper a month earlier, accidentally freezing water coming out of the locker room showers and then burying the room in an inch of snow; she’d barely been able to keep other ponies and the instructors out before she could get rid of it all.
Trixie’s jaw fell open, her heart sinking as she studied the damning photos. “But how did you get—?”
“How is not as important as the what,” Sonata shrugged. “For example, just what do you suppose would happen if our student body found out there was a weather witch in our midst? Or what do you suppose the parents would do to find out a ‘Scion of the Nightmare’ was among their foals?” she mused, using a description for weather elementals seen in some popular fiction. “And even if you somehow survived all that, what do you suppose the teachers would do if they found out you were cheating?” she finished in a mild but mocking tone. “I don’t imagine it would be too pretty.”
Trixie simultaneously felt a ball of cold welling up inside her and a trickle of sweat down her forehead. “So what are you saying, Sonata?” she barely croaked, trying but failing badly to keep the fear out of her voice.
For the first time, Sonata raised her eyes to meet Trixie’s. “I’m saying that your bullying days are done, Lula. You leave ponies alone; you leave me alone, and preferably leave school entirely,” she ordered. “Because if you don’t… I’ll run this article instead,” she informed the other mare, bringing out a second newspaper, one that proclaimed in banner headlines that Trixie was a weather witch, showing her standing in the icy interior of the locker room showers with snow swirling around her and her eyes glowing blue as proof.
Trixie stared at the other mare, completely stunned. Her jaw was open and her legs shook. “I w-won’t forget this, Sonata,” she warned, unable to keep the tremor from her voice.
“I wouldn’t want you to, Lula,” Sonata answered, almost sweetly. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some homework to do. So get out of my office. And kindly get out of my life,” she dismissed her, turning away.
Trixie ran away from home that very night.
The battle between the two unicorns continued unabated.
Even outside of Shining Armor’s shield spell, the courtroom shook from the sheer intensity of the duel; to Phoenix it was like looking inside an upside-down fishbowl or snowglobe where half was filled by a firestorm and the other half a blizzard. He occasionally caught glimpses of Twilight through the shimmering heat and flame and found he couldn’t take his eyes off her—her mane and tail had become pure fire; her fur glowing white-hot and her eyes the same red she’d used on him the previous night.
Though frightened, he also found himself mesmerized by the display, finding it—and herself as a creature of fire—strangely beautiful, wishing there was something he could do to help her. Now protected by the shield spell being cast by the strange stallion they’d seen before, Twilight’s friends stood at his side both to guard him and cheer Twilight, though he had no idea if she could actually hear them in there.
As the battle wore on, Trixie grew more frustrated. Now that Twilight had her measure, the showmare’s attacks were increasingly ineffective. She tried lightning, but the other unicorn effortlessly deflected the bolts aside. She cast various enchantments and spells, but Twilight recognized them and always seemed to know a counter. Even more infuriating, she wasn’t fighting back, just standing her ground and allowing Trixie to exhaust her power in a futile attempt to breach her fire and magical defenses.
And it was working, the showmare knew with a sinking heart. Her ice and weather attacks could not reach her rival, and they were slowly starting to be driven back as Twilight’s fire began gaining the upper hoof. No longer resorting to spells, the battle between the pair was now nothing more than a contest of will and power, each trying to overwhelm the other with the sheer force of her aura and elemental fury.
From the outside, the two unicorns still seemed evenly matched; Phoenix had the thought that it was only a question of whose power would give out first. Don’t give in, Twilight! Don’t lose to her! he mentally pleaded, gripping the edge of his bench white-knuckled, his heart going a mile a minute as he watched the magical battle unfold with Twilight’s friends, wincing at every flash of lightning and heavy impact of ice against the shield.
Everfree Forest
Aftermath of Ursa Minor Attack
Nine months earlier
Every time Trixie thought she had gone as low as she could go, it seemed fate found a way to plumb her depths further.
Sunset Shimmer… Sonata Tarot… and now… Twilight Sparkle! she thought in disgust as she looked at the lights of Ponyville from a distance—the place where her life had been ruined for the third time.
Yet somehow, the latest was the worst. Even though Sunset had humiliated her and Sonata had exposed her, neither mare evoked the emotion and anger within Trixie that being shown up by Twilight Sparkle did.
That she was the personal protégé of Princess Celestia and graduate of her School for Gifted Unicorns somehow only made things worse, not better, to the now out-of-business showmare. It could have been me! SHOULD have been me! she realized, but for Sunset Shimmer and her forgotten hat.
And yet, she didn’t hate Sunset like she did Twilight Sparkle; thinking about her didn’t make her emotions flare as Twilight did. She tried to convince herself it was just for destroying her admittedly meager reputation and possessions—everything she had was in that wagon the Ursa Minor squashed—and yet, her thoughts dwelled on Twilight constantly as they never did for Sunset or Sonata.
Too destitute to afford an inn or replace her wagon but too proud to go back to her father, she roughed it for several weeks, living in an Everfree Forest cave and dealing with the woodland creatures, foraging for food. The only thing she had kept from her previous life was her cape and hat, which she had gotten Snips and Snails to retrieve for her from the wreckage of her cart. She used the torn cape as a blanket and her ruined hat like a teddy bear, promising herself she would have cause to wear it proudly again…
Promising herself revenge on Twilight Sparkle.
On many levels, her infatuation with Twilight made no sense. Even watching her from a distance she could tell the other unicorn was quiet and unassuming, didn’t flaunt her power, often going to very great lengths to not upstage other ponies. She also had elemental fire powers, but her friends didn’t shun—or worship—her for them, and Trixie couldn’t understand why.
THIS is the unicorn who showed me up? THIS is the unicorn more powerful than me? she thought in disbelief.
Regardless of the reasons, her hate of Twilight gave her purpose. Finally having reason to improve her magic, she supported herself with menial jobs like rock farming during the day, sleeping in a barn while she trained and studied at night, throwing herself into the same books she’d always shunned before, trying to develop her skills and master as many spells as she could. Soaking up long-neglected knowledge like a sponge, she found her power and abilities did indeed grow quite markedly, beginning to realize her neglected magical potential.
Considerable though it was, she feared she still couldn’t match Twilight, and even worse, she could sense her weather power trying to manifest itself again; the more powerful her regular magic became, the more her elemental energies were trying to burst free.
Acting on the advice of a rhyming zebra mare living in the woods, she tried to forget Twilight and start her life and career over in a place far away. She repaired her cape and hat and came up with a new act, using her increased power to add many new elements and spectacle to her routine, only to find that word of her humiliation had traveled far and wide—it seemed everypony knew about her, Twilight and the Ursa Minor; she was seen as just as much a fraud in Las Pegasus as she was in Ponyville.
Finally, tired of road life and worn down by the constant mockery, she swallowed her pride and returned to Canterlot, seeing her father for the first time in years. To her relief, he welcomed her warmly despite her long absence, getting her an apartment and work as a legal aide; with her sharp wit, ability to rapidly learn new skills and a magician’s ability to see through deception, she found she had a talent for the legal profession. As fate would have it, she took and passed the bar exam but a day before the report of a murder in the Everfree Forest.
This is my chance! she realized upon learning who the prime suspect was, seeing the opportunity to finally exact revenge on Twilight Sparkle by going after what she seemed to hold most dear—her infuriatingly loyal friends. Trixie wasn’t proud of everything she had to do to be named prosecutor, but once she got the job she didn’t look back…
Even now, with her case in ruins and engaged in the fight of her life with her hated rival.
Despite all her practice, despite her new abilities and despite her unleashed elemental magic, Trixie felt her aura being driven back.
Her icy assault waning as Twilight began to gain the upper hoof, the sheer strength of her rival’s aura and intensity of her fire drove the showmare’s ice and weather magic into retreat. Trixie sensed her power starting to falter, her eye glow beginning to flicker… and when the corners of Twilight’s mouth crooked up, she realized that her rival had sensed it as well. I’m… I’m going to lose! she realized with a sinking heart.
Lose to Twilight Sparkle.
A fire she could not extinguish.
A power that no matter how hard she tried, she simply could not match.
IT’S NOT FAIR!!!! The showmare screamed mentally, using her rage and frustration to intensify her elemental assault once more, ignoring her rapidly dwindling reserves. Why do YOU have this power and NOT ME? What did YOU do to deserve this, Twilight Sparkle? she wanted to yell at the other unicorn, a tear leaving her eyes and instantly freezing.
You didn’t have to struggle… fight for respect… learn magic on your own… no patrons… no help… you didn’t have to hide your power… you got everything given to you on a bucking PLATTER! She started to cry, but squelched her tears hard behind a fresh wave of ice-cold anger. Why? What do YOU have that I don’t? she wanted to know.
As if in response, she saw Twilight’s friends surrounding her, encouraging her, shielding Phoenix Wright for her. She has… friendship? The answer was clear as a starry winter sky to the showmare, but she still refused to accept it.
NO! It’s a LIE! Trixie insisted to herself, pouring all her waning power into her fading storm. I don’t need friends! I don’t need ANYPONY! I AM THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIX— she was unable to finish the thought as, with a wet sizzling sound, her magic suddenly gave out, leaving nothing more than a thin wisp of icy vapor coming off her horn. Her surge having spent itself and her magic completely exhausted, she fell head first to the ruins of her snow-covered bench in defeat.
Twilight had been expecting it to happen and was ready for it, quickly pulling back her aura and dropping out of her full-fire state before it completely exhausted her as well. She stumbled slightly but pulled herself back up, the victor, to the cheers of her friends and appreciative hoofclops of the ponies in the gallery who had stayed to watch the spectacle.
Accepting the accolades with some embarrassment, she exchanged a nod and smile with Shining Armor. That’s my Twily! he told her in telepathic pride. We’ll speak soon, okay? he promised her as he quietly withdrew his shield spell and then himself from the courtroom, letting her have the attention and glory.
The praise being showered on her rival was not lost on Trixie, who struggled to raise her head again, unfrozen tears falling freely down her cheeks. Wrong beat me… and now SHE beat me! the broken showmare realized as the bailiffs closed in on her, recognizing her power was spent and she was no longer any threat. The last thing she saw before she passed out was Twilight Sparkle, flanked by her friends and backed by Phoenix Wright, giving her a sad, even pitying look.
Her final thought before fainting was she had lost everything yet again—her revenge, her law license… and even her freedom.
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Nice. It's cool to see your take on Trixie's backstory...But UGH, enough with the Frozen references! It's getting so overused!
Also, it appears that you have a minor case of Lavender Unicorn Syndrome...or Violet Unicorn Syndrome in your case.
Sparkers16, out.
Bad end of what?
When fave buttom don't work
Sigh.
Well this does make sense with the flash of Sunset being a bully of Trixie's, and being told her whole life that she was worthless, I can't really like this over the original story. Mostly cause there at least Trixie left on some semi-good terms with the heroes.
Here, she AGAIN, just loses more, and more, and more, and more, and more, and more. As life teaches her the wrong lessons, she tries to apply what worked for those who tormented her, only for others to crush her again, and make it feel like her whole life has been nothing but a long string being proven wrong no matter what choices she makes.
And she just loses more, and more, and more, and more, until fate feels it's BORED with grinding her into dust. She's supposed to be the BAD GUY here, and I feel like her life has been hell.
Creating the message for Trixie that she can do nothing her whole life but lose.
I can imagine if Trixie heard them calling her a "blow hard" she'd go even more psychotic, since being told how worthless she was was EXACTLY the kind of torture Sunset put her through.
I wonder if Twilight can break through those black psyhic locks now.
Again, while this fight may have been intense, it feels like all it did was somehow UPGRADE Trixie's villain status, instead of letting her finally grow a little.
4225170 There was a contest a while ago that had people come up with a "bad ending" to Turnabout Storm. The end would be just before Fluttershy comes in and gives Phoenix the last piece of evidence to pin this on Sonata, with her describing a unicorn with dark colors and glasses carrying the golf club. Without Fluttershy the trial would have ended, Rainbow banished, Sonata never to answer for her crimes (and failure of realizing she didn't kill Ace), and Trixie coming out victorious. I think it ended last April (deadline to put the entries in) and I've been anticipating it ever since.
4225170 NeoArtimus, the producer of the videos this fanfic is an adaptation of, held a 'Wright a Bad Ending' contest last year. The premise was to write a short, alternate ending to the series, if Fluttershy hadn't intervened at the last minute of part 4. The winner of the contest would have their bad ending made into a video.
4066836 Grammar-Griffon? Why does the fandom usually portray them as Equestria's answer to the Nazis? Why not the penguins from the G1 series?
Geez, poor Trixie. Just like Twilight said in Part 47, "I feel kinda bad for her." I take it those black locks broke now, or are they still there?
4225267
4225279
Huh. Never heard about that. Should be interesting.
I heard rumor at one point of a sequel to the original video though. Any truth to that?
I can't believe I'm saying this..........please give Trixie a damn bone!! PLEASE!!!
So she's as powerful, if not more, than Twilight, but her powers is a two-edged sword. Because ponies don't understand, they basically ridicule and harass her for something that is completely natural for her. And basically Trixie ran away from it. She didn't stand up---she ran. She allowed the bullies to win. Never a good idea.
It happened years later with Sonata, and then once more with Twilight. Both times, Trixie has a chance to essentially fight back, but she always fell back and stood down. Now she wants to fight back, but it's a lost cause.....regardless of what Trixie puts out, Twilight now has the magic of her friends by her back, plus Phoenix. She's Equestria's version of Steve Deberg.
As much as they really hate (and I know hate is a strong word here) how Trixie has acted, I have a feeling that if they would just sit down and get Trixie's life story, Twilight will understand. Doesn't matter if Trixie accepts it or not, but finally someone will understand. And once that boulder has been removed, it's all on Trixie at that point. She's showed that she has talent in being a prosecutor in the legal field, maybe she needs to focus on that and stop trying to show off and one-up someone.
What she needs to learn in my opinion is that there are times where you will want the spotlight, and then there are times where it's better to set aside and let somepony better or more talented have her day. It doesn't mean that you are inferior to somepony, it just means that you are more suited for some things than others. And yeah, I have to admit, Sunset Shimmer is complete horseapples, there should have been immediate disqualification right then and there. But Trixie should have used that to make herself better, not wallow in broken dreams and failure. Get up and try again. As much as it was Sunset's fault for what happened then, it is 100% fault of Trixie for all that happened after that. And now, if the baliffs have some brass to their respective balls, they need to neutralize Trixie, lock her up for a couple of weeks, and calm her down. Then finally get to the bottom of it. And that's on you, Twilight. Doesn't it seem so obvious to you that just like Fluttershy did to Discord, Trixie needs a friend, not a rival. Well if not a friend, just somepony to lend an ear. You will learn so much from Trixie while she's behind bars even more so than when she showed up in Ponyville both times.
4225471 I haven't heard anything about a sequel, but it's not wholly impossible. Also, I haven't been keeping in touch since the ending of part 5/4.
Prolly should fix that 
Only real news in this area, that I know about, is about My Little Investigations: (Link to youtube page for download to case 1)
which released a couple days ago. Get it before the C&D division brings it down
Thank you for a wonderful back-story for Trixie. Nice touch involving Sunset Shimmer, I totally didn't see that coming.
So now when the epic storm has passed.
I hope that what follows will be just as good.
Great job as allways guys.
4225011 ... Yes you do, actually; all the ponies are speciesists.
'everypony'- speciesist, only references to ponies, and never to any other creature (although they do use it to refer to other species anyways
).
'everybody', 'everyone'- references all living, rationalizing beings; is not species specific.
So, unless they spontaneously realize that they've all been haters their whole lives, you'll have to use 'everypony'.
4225655
I may just do that. On the subject of that contest though, are any of the entries up on fimfiction?
4225655 Dreamworks much?
4225655 Dangan Ronpa reference?
I totally was not expecting Sunset Shimmer. Or maybe I was after Flash Sentry showed up.
4225975 Here's one.
MORE!!!
4225103
Overused, but in this case appropriate. Part for my inspiration for Trixie came from that movie. There were other (non-Frozen) references in there too. Did you catch them?
"Lavender Unicorn Syndrome". You're referring to Ezn's writing guide. He's got a lot of good stuff in there, but I don't agree with him--at all--that alternate descriptions like that shouldn't be used. I'll agree they can be overused, but for purposes of alliteration or word flow, I don't have a problem with them. I'll also use them when I want to emphasize the description is what they are: "I know plenty of magic," the violet unicorn said.
4225189
Don't you hate that?
4225419
You'll see. And thank you. I wasn't actually sure that I could make her sympathetic after all she's done.
Judging by what you and some others have said, mission accomplished.
4225471
Likely. If nothing else, there's many fan sequels in the works. Leo Archon and I are in the planning stages of collaborating on one.
4226588 You're right. That's why I said "a minor case." I don't think this particluar writer is overusing LUS, but I just put that up as a warming not to overdo it. I don't mind LUS, like you said, it goes with the flow if the writing and sometimes it makes sense to use it, but it doesn't seem professional. It makes a story seem as if someone is obsessed about the appearances of the ponies. For instance, take a work of writing that has nothing to do with ponies. If you had a ginger in your story named Drew (this isn't a reference to anything, just an example), you would call him Drew, not "the redheaded kid." Again, I'm not saying that this author is abusing LUS, but it can still be a little annoying.
4225253
Thanks for the thoughtful and well-reasoned comment. I always appreciate them.
What makes you think the same can't yet happen here? There's a reason Twilight gave her the pitying look at the end. To say more would be a spoiler, but Twilight doesn't think Trixie's a lost cause. Just keep reading.
Well, she didn't when Sonata tormented her with Sunset's words, though in fairness she wasn't in the state she is now. I'll just say her full attention was on Twilight at that point and she didn't hear them over her own power and the whipping wind.
I don't agree. Yes, I was trying to upgrade her status from pale reflection of Twilight to genuine rival and threat, but the growth came at the end, when she realized she was going to lose and she saw--even if only for a second--that she was acting out of jealousy and it was friendship that afforded Twilight everything she had. That's a seed that will grow later. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before you can finally start to climb out. Sometimes you have to do it repeatedly before the message finally sinks in and you learn the right lessons. Such is the case with Trixie.
Her descent is done. Her redemption begins now. It won't be instant, but it will happen.
4225253
Instead of the Alicorn Amulet, I can totally see the Nightmare taking an interest on Trixie´ sorrow, potential and sheer hatred toward Twilight.
4225532
I'm actually happy to hear you say that, because it means I've made her appear sympathetic despite all she's done. In all honesty, I wasn't sure I could pull it off when I started writing this chapter.
And even worse, when she let the bullies win, she became one herself because she thought they always won. Her powers caused her pain, so she didn't use them any more, burying them as deep as she could until they finally, inevitably erupted out of her. You can only suppress something like that for so long.
Fear not. Somepony does understand. And she will get her bone. Like I said before, her descent is over. Her redemption now begins.
Just keep reading.
As for the rest... I agree 100% with what you said and will keep it all in mind going forward.
4225975 I've seen a couple on fanfiction but I believe most of them haven't been posted, as far as I know. And the few on that site are about 'meh'.
4226146 Well the trailer is based on the Miles Edgeworth Ace Attorney Investigations Trailer so... maybe?
And to be honest, I've only heard of Dangan Ronpa and never seen it, so any references I did accidentally make I might be sorry for.
4226951 Twilight Sparkle is best Miles Edgeworth.
Loved the refernces to this
Great ending though you made me wait long enough that i expected one.
Missed opportunity...
Maybe you could've somehow flashed Phoenix's thoughts into everyone when he himself was betrayed by someone he had faith in.
But unlike Trixie, he never gave up on others thus giving a deeper lesson to her and make her realize she's the one who's weak.
Phoenix even mentions the incident much earlier in the story.
4228812
I could see him telling Trixie that story when he's talking with her after the trial, and he probably will. But this chapter was not the place to do that. It would detract from Trixie's backstory and her battle with Twilight. This chapter was about Trixie, not Phoenix.
4229634
Nevertheless, it would wrap up Trixie and Twilight before this is all said and done.
4230701 After I saw that Diaries of a Madman had over 1.5 million words (double the number in the Platinum Crown), I stopped looking.
4226951 Dangan Ronpa is A Good Detective/murder mystery game I've ever played!!! Damn it makes me so nostalgic~
Just came from the videos, and I have a question; What is the "Romance" tag for? I don't recall there being any in the video series.
Just a little bit of info before I start reading would be nice.
4232794
The novelization adds a lot of new description and dialogue, scenes and subplots that pick up as the story goes along. One of the subplots is a Phoenix/Twilight romance. It's light shipping only; the most it gets is mildly suggestive.
4233134
I am strangely alright with this
4233177
Enjoy!
I have been caught up in this story since yesterday afternoon....I know almost nothing about the cross-over utilize (unless Phoenix Wrong videos on Newgrounds count) but I found it entirely engaging and enjoyable.
That being said, I couldn't help but listen to this during the entirety of the final chapter
And thinking how appropriate it seems to be during it all. Trixie will never learn her true potential till she fixes the fatal flaw in her being, and she only barely understood what that was near the end.
Theres some more, but that will be done privately.
4227611
I guess I meant after she broke it again, and yes, steel beams and concrete blocks would help.
Love it, glad to have finally read it up to this point at long last since the story and videos were first released.
Well done on the writing, I must say! Such compelling writing, well done indeed!
Hey! What about my story?
4378618
Possibly. It might also be a reference to Fluttershy's rule 63 counterpart, called "Butterscotch." There are stories out there with a male version of the mane 6 (like this one)
4380063
Released in Japan in 2007, released in the U.S. in 2008. Turnabout Storm takes place between the second and third games of the Phoenix Wright series, Justice for All and Trials and Tribulations. So yes, a little future foreshadowing here and at later points in the story.
4381466 Funny. I thought Turnabout Storm occurred after Trials and Tribulations.
4383092
Nope, before. NeoArtimus has specifically stated TS takes place between those two games. That's why you see Phoenix reference Franziska von Karma in the videos but not, say, Godot.
4383180 Ah. That makes sense.
4383089
)
You are, indeed, correct, my friend, as I am, in fact, still playing Ace Attorney: Trials and Tribulations.
(BTW, I got a reply from the same author of the story, who explained me what the reference was
"Let the storm rage ON! she commanded, her ice starting to visibly force Twilight’s fire back."
Remind me of the son "Let it go" From Disney FROZEN and for a second I though Trixie was going to sing it
gollum, anypony?
lots of frozen going on... it fits quite well with trixie, her being an ice elemental and all